Well, the term was used for a Russian kind of automat (threatening-looking building in St Petersburg...looks like a Soylent Green automat to me). Actually a hit on this phrase came up with an example as the Kirov Department Store & Public Feeding Complex on the UC Berkeley architectural archives but sadly no picture. posted by nj_subgenius at 2:47 PM on June 11, 2005
Yeah, I Googled it, but it didn't really say exactly what the building contained... so the consensus of two is that it's essentially a bunch of vending machines?
Public Feeding Complex... that sounds like just the place for a romantic date. posted by Krrrlson at 2:58 PM on June 11, 2005
Or a hulking building with a bunch of big troughs you slipped kopeks into...and if you loitered or fell asleep you would be hit on the galava and become the next day's borscht. Maybe? posted by nj_subgenius at 3:04 PM on June 11, 2005
posted by caddis at 2:32 PM on June 11, 2005